We are pleased to announce that a researcher from the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences has been included in the list of winners of the MINIATURA 9 competition organised by the National Science Centre.

Funding was awarded to the project titled  “Towards a high-resolution structure of an unusual glycosyltransferase from the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa – measurements using the Cryo-EM method“, led by Dr. Magdalena Bejger from the Department of Structural Biology of Prokaryotic Organisms.

The aim of Dr Bejger’s research is to understand the structure of a glycosyltransferase – an enzyme found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacterium that frequently causes infections, especially in people with weakened immune systems. The gene encoding this glycosyltransferase is located within an operon linked both to the bacterium’s virulence (that is, its ability to cause disease) and to many fundamental metabolic processes. This means that the enzyme under study plays an important role in the functioning and pathogenicity of this microorganism. Determining the three-dimensional structure of the glycosyltransferase will make it possible to better understand how it works and will provide information needed to design new antibacterial strategies based on modulating the enzyme’s activity. Compared with typical proteins, the glycosyltransferase analysed by Dr Bejger is an exceptionally large molecule. To determine its structure at high resolution, as close as possible to the level of individual atoms, Dr Bejger will use an advanced research technique – high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

We warmly congratulate Dr. Bejger and wish her continued success!